Czechoslovakian Wolfdog

The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is a
relatively new dog breed that traces its original lineage to an experiment
conducted in 1955 in Czechoslovakia. After initially breeding working line
German Shepherd Dogs with Carpathian wolves (Canis lupus lupus), a plan was
worked out to create a breed that would have the temperament, pack mentality,
and trainability of the German Shepherd Dog and the strength, physical build,
and stamina of the Carpathian wolf.

The
breed was engineered as attack dogs for use in military special operations done
by the Czechoslovak special forces commandos but were later also used in search
and rescue, schutzhund, tracking, herding, agility, obedience, hunting, and
drafting in Europe and the United States. It was officially recognized as a
national breed in Czechoslovakia in 1982, and was officially recognized as a
breed by Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) in 1989.

2017 Italian Ave Lupo operation

In
January 2017, 229 Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs were sequestered by the
Environmental Protection Unit of the Carabinieri following a nationwide
investigation. The investigation started in 2013 and it was taken over in 54
Italian provinces and was stating that Italian breeders were crossing the
Czechoslovakian dog-wolves with wild wolves from the Carpathian Mountains,
Scandinavia and even from North America. Following this crossing, the newborns
were considered to have a stronger bone structure and a more similar aspect to
the wild wolves allowing the same breeders to improve their performances at
expositions. Because of this, puppies were sold on an average price of €5,000.
The operation was part of a major international operation that was
investigating on the illegal traffic of wild wolves in different European
countries.

DNA analysis

In
2015, a DNA study of the breed compared to German Shepherds and Carpathian
wolves found only two maternal mitochondrial DNA haplotypes and two paternal Y
DNA haplotypes within the breed. The two mDNA haplotypes and one yDNA haplotype
originated with German Shepherds and was the result of back-crossing. The other
yDNA haplotype was unique to the breed. All four haplotypes were distinct from
those of the parental populations.

Appearance

Both
the build and the haircoat of the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog are reminiscent of a
wolf. The lowest dewlap height is 65 cm (26 in) for a male and 60 cm (24 in)
for a female, and there is no upper limit. The body frame is rectangular, with
the ratio of the height to length being 9:10 or less. The minimum weight is 26
kg (57 lb) for males and 20 kg (44 lb) for females. The expression of the head
must indicate the sex. Amber eyes set obliquely and short upright ears in a
triangular shape are its characteristic features. The set of teeth is complete
(42) and very strong; both scissors-shaped and pliers-shaped dentition are
acceptable. The spine is straight, strong in movement, with a short loin. The
chest is large and flat rather than barrel-shaped. The belly is strong and
drawn in. The back is short and slightly sloped; the tail is high set, and when
freely lowered reaches the tarsi. The forelimbs are straight and narrow-set,
with the paws slightly turned out, with a long radius and metacarpus. The hind
limbs are muscular, with a long calf and instep.

The
coat color is yellow-grey to silver-grey, with a light mask. The hair is
straight, close, and very thick. The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is a typical
tenacious canterer; its movement is light and harmonious, and its stride is
long.

Temperament

The
Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is more versatile than specialized. It is quick,
lively, very active, and courageous. Distinct from the character of the
Saarloos Wolfhound, shyness is a disqualifying fault in the Czechoslovakian
Wolfdog.

The
Czechoslovakian Wolfdog develops a very strong social relationship - not only
with their owner, but with the whole family. It can easily learn to live with
other domestic animals which belong to the family; however, difficulties can
occur in encounters with strange animals. It is vital to subdue the
Czechoslovakian Wolfdog's passion for hunting when they are puppies to avoid
aggressive behavior towards smaller animals as an adult. The puppy should never
be isolated in the kennel; it must be socialized and get used to different
surroundings. Female Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs tend to be more easily
controllable, but both genders often experience a stormy adolescence.

The
Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is very playful, temperamental, and learns easily.
However, it does not train spontaneously, the behavior of the Czechoslovakian
Wolfdog is strictly purposeful - it is necessary to find motivation for
training. The most frequent cause of failure is usually the fact that the dog
is tired out with long useless repetitions of the same exercise, which results
in the loss of motivation. These dogs have admirable senses and are very good
at following trails. They are very independent and can cooperate in the pack
with a special purposefulness. If required, they can easily shift their
activity to the night hours. Sometimes problems can occur during their training
when barking is required. Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs have a much wider range of
means of expressing themselves and barking is unnatural for them; they try to
communicate with their masters in other ways (mainly through body language, but
also with quiet noises such as growls, grunts, and whining). Generally,
teaching the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog stable and reliable performance takes a
bit longer than teaching traditional specialized breeds. The Czechoslovakian
Wolfdog has been successfully employed as a Search And Rescue (SAR) dog in
Italy, although, admittedly, handling one requires much more work than other
breeds.